Blue screen on boot up

Hi,

I am attempting to fix my friends computer which has windows XP installed on it. When it boots up it goes to the windows xp loading screen and just when you think windows is going to load you get a blue screen with some text and it re-starts. This is a constant loop and the same thing happens in all of the safe mode options. I cannot identify any of the text on the blue screen as it flashes up so quickly.

I tested the graphics card, memory, cd-rom, sound card and it is none of those so I am wondering if it is the hard drive? Any advice ... I'm guessing I should just try and re-install windows?

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It might be helpful to know what STOP error that blue screen is caused by. You can turn off the automatic reboot on error option without even getting into Windows if you can get into what is called the Advanced Options Menu: as your computer boots up (before you get to the Windows logo), keep pressing and releasing the F8 function key (don't just hold it down as you are likely to get a "stuck key error" from the BIOS). Then, when that menu comes up, choose the option called "Disable automatic restart on system failure".

Then your pc will halt on that blue screen of death, and it will display a message that you can read with possibly helpful information. (Although usually the info is not very helpful.) One thing will be a hexadecimal STOP error. You can go to this page and find some general troubleshooting info on whatever STOP error is displayed:

Boot from an XP CD and at the starting screen press R to enter the recovery console, It will ask you to choose a windows installation and input the admin password, once this is done type in chkdsk /r and ENTER, let it run and post back here on the outcome